242 CHRISTIAN ALLHUSEN 



movement in favour of free commercial inter- 

 course with the Continent of Europe." 



As a merchant, who was recognised as a 

 most astute and shrewd man of business, his 

 influence would be considerable, and his 

 opinion carry great weight. 



We learn from the Newcastle Chronicle 

 that : " Mr. Allhusen was a large shareholder 

 in the Northumberland and Durham District 

 Bank. When it failed (1857) he propounded 

 a project for certain shareholders to take over 

 the responsibilities of the Consett Iron 

 Works, upon the liquidators of the Bank 

 giving them a guarantee that no call would 

 be made upon the shareholders who did this. 

 The reason for this arrangement was that the 

 iron works had to be carried on, but the 

 liquidators were not in a position to become 

 traders or manufacturers. This daring 

 project, as it was then esteemed, met with a 

 good deal of opposition, but Mr. Allhusen 

 succeeded in inducing the late Mr. R. P. 

 Philipson, Mr. John Benson, and others, to 

 interest themselves in it ; and a number of 

 the Bank shareholders took over the works 

 on the condition named. The result justified 

 to the letter all the foresight and business 

 astuteness of Mr. Allhusen. Since its 



